TSC’s New Promotion Policy Sparks Fear Among Teachers.
Teachers across the country are expressing deep concerns following a controversial decision by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to lower the criteria for promoting school administrators.
Reduction in Acting Duration Sparks Doubts
Educators are worried that the forthcoming promotion interviews may not be conducted fairly after the Commission reduced the required acting period for administrative positions to six months.
This is a significant drop from the previous requirement, which initially stood at eight years but was reduced to three years during last year’s promotion cycle.
In the latest promotion advertisement, TSC has slashed this further to just six months, raising alarm among teachers.
Many educators fear that the lowered threshold could open avenues for corruption, potentially sidelining those who have served diligently in acting capacities for extended periods.
Teachers voiced concerns that the revised criteria might be manipulated to exclude deserving candidates who have dedicated years to their roles.
TSC Cites Legal Compliance
TSC has defended its decision, stating that the policy change aligns with new legal requirements.
The law mandates that individuals can serve in acting capacities for a maximum of six months, after which they must either be confirmed to their roles or compensated through a special allowance.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu noted that numerous educators have been acting in administrative roles for far longer than the legally stipulated six months.
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He urged the Commission to prioritize these individuals, emphasizing the importance of recognizing their prolonged service.
Oyuu highlighted that some school heads and deputies have been acting for over three years, stressing that these teachers deserve consideration before others.
Shift in Focus from Allowances to Appointments
Initially, TSC had proposed offering special duty allowances to acting school heads and deputies as compensation for their additional responsibilities.
In January, the Commission informed Parliament’s Education Committee that discussions with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) were complete and that they were exploring budgetary allocations for these allowances.
However, the latest move shifts focus from allowances to substantive appointments for administrators.
Leadership Shortages and Budgetary Constraints
TSC Chief Executive Dr. Nancy Macharia explained that the reliance on acting administrators stems from a lack of qualified teachers for leadership roles.
She reported that the government’s establishment of new schools has further complicated the situation, as no budgetary provisions were made to promote teachers to head these institutions.
This has forced the Commission to depend on acting school heads to fill the gaps.
Dr. Macharia also stated that teachers are only deployed in acting capacities when the Commission lacks candidates with the appropriate qualifications and experience for permanent appointments.
Upcoming Promotions and Application Deadline
TSC plans to confirm teachers who have acted as deputy headteachers in primary schools, deputy principals in secondary schools, and heads of institutions (HOIs) for at least six months.
On December 17th, the Commission announced 19,943 promotion vacancies for teachers and invited applications from educators in primary and post-primary institutions.
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Qualified teachers have until midnight on December 30th, 2024, to submit their applications online.
The Commission has assured that the process will lead to confirmed appointments and placements starting in January, following the allocation of Ksh1 billion for teacher promotions.
Administrator Deficits Persist
According to TSC data, over 3,300 school heads and deputies are currently serving in acting capacities.
Furthermore, at least 3,359 public schools lack heads of institutions, with 1,918 primary schools without headteachers and 1,441 secondary schools lacking principals.
TSC attributed these deficits to the shortage of qualified candidates and the increased number of newly registered schools, which has intensified the challenge of filling leadership positions.
TSC’s New Promotion Policy Sparks Fear Among Teachers.
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